Website Marketing During The Holiday Season, WikiLeaks, Groupon, New Years Less Than 25 Days, NY Giants, Jets, White Christmas? What Your Business Should Be Doing These Last Days of 2010

Posted by Salem Global on Dec 7, 2010

Now that everything is public on Wikileaks, Groupon has rejected Google’s offer of $6 Billion because they are making around $800 million dollars a year without them. I wanted to publicly announce that if Google wants to acquire SalemGlobal for $6 billion I will sell. True we are not making the $800 million that Groupon is, but we do clear $800 dollars? Is that enough for ya? Ok. How about $5 Billion? $4? Ok – name your price. I can be bought

I love how fickle sports fans are. Personally I am the biggest hypocrite out there. This past Sunday I was a Giants fan all the way. I had texted my trusted sports enthusiast colleague last week when the Giants played and he asked how I even knew they won? I told him I happened to be at another friend’s house when the game was on. Then, this past Sunday, one friend of mine said she was going to the game so that made me root for them as well. Finally, I saw another friend at a birthday party and since she was rooting for Big Blue, so was I. And then to top it all off, I look for the scores of this past weekend’s games and lo and behold, Giants have a whole TWO wins in a row while the New York Jets post their worst game of the season against the New England Patriots. It’s so funny how on Facebook whenever the Jets win, everyone updates their status with a “GO GREEN!” or “J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets!” but when they lose, everyone is silent.

Speaking of silent… one particular organization is NOT being silent. That is WikiLeaks. So there are plenty of jokes going around regarding WikiLeaks and let me share a few with them right now…

What time is it when your wiki leaks? Time to get a new menorah! Ha ha ha LOL! and all that.

Ok – here is a non-Hanukkah version…

Conan: This week’s big story, of course, is WikiLeaks. The website WikiLeaks released more than 250,000 secret government documents –- some of which refer to computer passwords for world leaders. The most shocking revelation?  Kofi Annan’s password is Bieberfan9.

Conan: WikiLeaks says the U.S. sees Afghan President Hamid Karzai as….

…paranoid and weak. Karzai replied, I was really afraid of something like this, but there’s nothing I can do.

Leno: WikiLeaks has ALL the classified secrets. They know all the Pentagon’s secrets. But still, no one knows Victoria’s Secret.

Leno: Doesn’t WikiLeaks sound like some kind of drug like Flomax? My doctor had me on Flomax, then decided I really needed to be on WikiLeaks.

And here is the newsworthy version…

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joked Saturday night at the Kennedy Center Honors regarding Oprah Winfrey, Paul McCartney and others.

She found it extraordinary to greet so many talented people and said: “I am writing a cable about it, which I’m sure you’ll find soon on your closest website.”

It snowed in New York City for the first time this winter and its starting to get cold. Obviously Christmas is around the corner and your business is either having a (hopefully) fantastic 4th quarter or you can’t wait for the year to end so you can start working and making some money again in 2011. The best thing you can do right now is get into social media. Big campaigns might do something for you on a big scale but the way to go right now is word of mouth marketing…

Gary Rome Hyundai is running a contest for anyone to win four tickets to an Usher concert on December 18, 2010 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

http://www.garyromehyundai.com/Gary_Rome_Hyundai_Giveaway.cfm http://www.facebook.com/GaryRomeHyundai

“Like” the Gary Rome Hyundai Facebook page. Leave a comment on the Facebook Wall post titled “Leave a Facebook comment, enter to win 4 Tickets to Usher”

You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the U.S.

Limit 1 entry per person.

The entry period ends at 3:00PM ET on Wednesday, December 15.

At that time, we’ll select 1 winner from the eligible commenters to receive 4 Tickets to Usher at the XL Center in Hartford, CT.

Make sure your Facebook privacy settings allow for direct messages to receive notification in the event you win.

Winner must be able to pick up tickets in person at the dealership in Holyoke, MA.

Standard giveaway rules apply for everything else.

Want to know more about holiday marketing, 4th quarter, getting ready for 1st quarter and social media for your business? Do you need a new marketing strategy for 2011? Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828, email info@salemglobal.com or check out www.SalemGlobal.com for more information about us, how we work, how much it costs etc. etc.. You will be glad you did!

Internet Marketing, Social Media Strategy, Google Scams, Maps, Veterans Day, NYC Marathon and Fines: Your Business Needs To Know About Social Media And Google

Posted by Salem Global on Nov 9, 2010

One of my first clients in the Internet Marketing and auto industry (www.GaryRomeHyundai.com) called me up last week and we had a nice chat about Social Media and how we can use it to drive more potential customers to his dealerships (He also has a Kia dealership www.GaryRomeKia.com) Gary had implemented all of the Old School Internet marketing strategies that we had offered. Multiple domain names capturing potential searchers online for various cars, vehicles, new and used, services, parts and accessories. (www.HyundaiAccessryStore.com) As a matter of fact, the Hyundai Accessory store became #1 on the web and their business grew even in this terrible economy. But now, four years later, we needed something else to drive people in. (Get it… “DRIVE” LOL!)

Our social media strategy is not “older” or “more experienced” than anyone else’s. I laugh when companies claim that their social media strategy is better than anyone else’s. The very thought that someone is more experienced in something that is brand new is hilarious. Yes you can say that some people recognized “word of mouth marketing” before others. But the fact is that Facebook and Twitter are brand new. Even when they had just gotten started and grew in numbers and everyone was talking about them, no one really knew how to make money off of them. It’s the decade old question of how to make money on the Internet. Regardless, as one of my sales gurus (Jeffrey Gitomer) says, everyone likes to buy from their friends. And it’s true. Who are you going to trust and then call when you need or want something? Obviously, its friends and family. And if those are the people you are interacting with on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis, then that is where you are going to go for advice and guidance.

Social media marketing is really the same as “Community Marketing.” What I can say is that I have been using COMMUNITY marketing and word of mouth since Day 1 of opening my own business. That’s how I got started and that’s how I grew. Networking and online social sites such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn only came around later. These became the tools that we in the industry now rely on to get potential customers and develop relationships out of our first degree.

So step 1 – Recognize what social media means

2 – Identify which social media outlets you are going to use to promote your business and/or organization

3 – Get the word out

Though social media in the sense of the word is relatively young, I still default to the experience of someone or a company that has the background to make social media work. Though Marc Zuckerberg of Facebook fame is only 27 now? He still employs plenty of old school marketing, media, sales and experienced people to guide him through the billions he is making (or is presently worth).

Last things for this week:

a) Watch out for the latest scam regarding Google 411. I got a call from an automated machine asking me to press 1 to update my Google 411 listing. Do not trust this. Google is not calling you. YOU call Google (or at least try).

b) Speaking of Google, check out this article: http://searchengineland.com/nicaragua-raids-costa-rica-blames-google-maps-54885, Nicaragua Raids Costa Rica, Blames Google Maps… Ooops!…

c) MN Mom charged $1.5million dollar fine for downloading songs; http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifier/148/minnesota-mom-hit-with-15-million-fine-for-downloading-24-songs/ Talk about being made an example of… She is fighting it though. Good for her and good for the industry.

d) Congratulations to all NYC Marathon Finishers. (I am jealous. I have only run 5 but want more… Maybe next year…)

e) Finally. Thank you to all of the Veterans out there. You know who you are and your families do too. My father was a Korean War veteran and proudly served (after he got drafted that is.) My grandfather was in WWI. Thank a veteran this week. Happy Veterans Day. Pray for them, their families and hope that the USA treats them right.

Did you say 40 Days till Christmas? That’s right folks. I said it. We are deep into 4th Quarter is and you should be preparing for 1st Quarter of next year. Yes. 2011. I know you can’t believe it but believe it. The weather is getting colder. What about your business? In addition to SEO search engine optimization, are you also using social media? LinkedIn? Facebook? Are you sending out newsletters? Need help with Internet promotion for your business? We have been helping companies and businesses strategize online since 1997. Call Raphi Salem at 212-993-5828, email info@salemglobal.com or check out www.SalemGlobal.com for more information about us.